“He will.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“You don’t know him like I do.”
“Don’t be a fool. He left and took all his things. Can you hear yourself right now?”
“I know this sounds stupid, but I know we have something. And it’s real . . . and I’m trusting it,” I call.
“You’re right, that does sound stupid. A man doesn’t run when he sleeps with a woman unless he doesn’t want to see her again. He got what he wanted, and now he’s out of here.”
Am I being stupid?
No.
I’m trusting him. I trust in us.
“We didn’t sleep together, and he has some shit to work through, that’s all.”
“Has he called you?”
“No.”
Why hasn’t he called me?
“What if he sleeps with someone else while he’s gone?” Bernadette asks.
My heart sinks because I know that’s a real possibility. Scared people do dumb things. “Then it’s over between us.” I sigh. The thought makes me sick to my stomach. “He will tell me if he did. Christopher is a lot of things. A liar isn’t one of them. He will know if he’s fucked up, and he’ll tell me. He’s not a sleazebag.”
“That’s if you ever see him again.”
“I know he’ll be back.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Eddie is here.”
“So?”
“He would never leave him without saying goodbye.”
“But . . . he would leave you . . .”
“Just leave it, Bernadette,” I snap as I lose the last of my patience. “I’m not discussing this anymore.”
“Broken heart coming right up,” Kimberly mutters.
“Right,” Bernadette agrees.
I exhale heavily. I hope they’re wrong.
God, I hope they’re wrong.
I walk out of the bedroom to shower. “Good morning, Miss Hazen.”
I turn to see Eduardo patiently waiting by my door. “Good morning, Eddie.” I smile. Damn, this kid is the cutest human of all time. “What are you up to?” I ask as we walk to my locker.
“I’m here to help you today.”
“That’s not necessary, honey. Go and relax. I don’t need any help.”
His face falls as if he’s disappointed, and he twists his fingers nervously in front of him.
I correct myself. “That’s if you have something else to do. I am going to the market. You could come and keep me company if you like?”
His face lights up. “Okay, I can do that.”
“Give me ten minutes to shower and we will go.”
“Where will I wait for you?” he asks excitedly.
“Wherever you want.”
He gives me a big beautiful smile, and my heart skips a beat. I know why Christopher is so smitten with this boy. I’m pretty smitten myself.
I shower and dress and walk out to find Eddie sitting on the floor by my door. “You don’t have to sit on the floor, honey,” I say. “You could have waited in the lounge area.”